Misc. Long Arm Charges
 

Hi, I have a question for the long arm quilting pros out there. What 'not actually quilting' tasks do you do? what is included in the base price and what do you charge extra for, or do you give the top back to the quilter and tell them to do it?
The tasks I'm wondering about are:
- Pressing a really wrinkled quilt (not one that's been mailed, I can understand that)
- Cutting a bajillion threads
- loose threads (threads have been cut, but they are laying on the surface) or <cringe> pet hair
- backing given as yardage (needs to be seamed)
- fixing a really, really, really wavy border
- squaring a top
any thing else I haven't thought of along these lines.
Thanks!

I no longer quilt for hire, but here's my take on it. You're paying a professional to QUILT your quilt, not make repairs or clean up a mess. I consider a wavy border part of the job, but not seaming yardage for backing, trimming stray threads, pressing, etc. If you want your longarmer to do a beautiful and professional job, then give her your best effort.

I agree totally. I tell anyone that sends me a quilt that shows carelessness in finishing (not wavey borders) that I have someone who will put her quilt in order for xxxx number of dollars but it is not fair to the other quilters that are waiting on me for me to take enough time to "finish" their quilt myself. They either pick it up and do the work or they let me give it to the friend that does the finishing for me.

I pay extra for seaming my backing putting on the binding in which she sews it and placement, I don't have her hand stitch (which is an added charge) it down where other's do, I have had my quilt's squared up but not been charged, I clip my thread's as I go and iron the best I can in my very small space She has Ironed for me and not charged and I give her all my extra fabric and batting , I try to remove any cat hair as I have two,

I don't do many quilts for hire anymore because of just those things. They have to have back ready, threads cut, ironed, though I will iron out any wrinkles in backing as I load it. I'm tired of fixing wavy and I mean wavy borders where quilting wouldn't be enough. Just not worth my time and most don't want to pay extra for those little things that make the quilt nice. My thoughts!!!!

I don't quilt for hire, but I do longarm comfort quilts for various guilds. I have been given yardage for backs (rather than backs already constructed). When that happens, I sometimes return the quilt and ask for one that is "ready to go", or sometimes I piece it and then don't offer to do another for that group. Piecing the back is one of my least favorite things. I know someone needs to do it, but the service I'm providing (for free) is longarming, not piecing.

Another problem is when the quilt arrives without batting, and I am expected to provide it. Sometimes I do, but again... I'm probably not going to offer to do more quilts for that group.

To address the original question, I have seen longarming contracts with everything but the kitchen sink listed, along with prices. Usually the longarmer has a set hourly price for work that is not done on the longarm.

As a piecer, who never quilts, I have to say I am so surprised by what piecers have asked their quilters to do. I would never give yardage, not "roll" my quilts with a lint remover, present the quilter with wonky borders, or ask her to do anything but quilt. That my explain why my quilter uses her longarm for her own projects and actually only does quilting for me and one other person. She probably doesn't want to deal with the problems presented to quilters.

Hope you will charge for all those "extras", I would advise of these charges before I did them. Then if there is a next time for the customer she will be aware to send you a finished quilt top, batting and backing ready to go.

delma

I have been sending my quilts to a long armer for a long time. They are always pressed, the backing is pieced and the batting provided. My borders are not wavy, I learned a long time ago from an expert how to avoid that. So my quilt is ready to go when she receives it. I also do no have animals so don' have to worry about pet hairs on my quilts. I have heard horror stories about the condition some people send there quilts to the LA to finish. Marge

Karen McTavish says if she does not want to do something she says the charge will be $1,600 to do it. What she was trying to tell us in class is that there are things she does not want to do unless the money is substantial. She also said not to undercharge for your time and effort. You end up hurting yourself and others.

Some have $$ per hour for such work (if you even choose to do it). Have a written list to pass out to make sure your clients are fully informed ahead of time. Lots of examples on the web from long arm services.